1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a cockpit module structure for a vehicle suitable for an automobile.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, in an air conditioning unit composing a part of a cockpit module for a vehicle, opening and closing doors for opening or closing a squirt hole in each mode such as a defroster outlet and a ventilation outlet are housed and arranged in addition to heat exchangers inside a body of the air conditioning unit.
The body of the air conditioning unit has a structure that the body is supported by a steering member which is long in the direction of the width of the vehicle and both ends of which are supported by the vehicle as disclosed in JP-A-7-81376 or JP-A-8-142708.
The Conventional type structure has a problem that foot space on the side of an assistant driver""s seat is restricted by a blower provided to the side of the air conditioning unit because the body of the air conditioning unit has a layout structure that the body is located below a steering member.
In the meantime, as the steering member has a structure that a part is bent because of the form of the body of the air conditioning unit, workability, strength and rigidity are undesirable.
The invention provides a cockpit module structure for a vehicle wherein large foot space can be secured and an air conditioning unit can be securely supported in a stable state.
A first aspect of the invention is characterized in that the body of an air conditioning unit inside which a heat exchanger and an opening and closing door are installed is penetrated by a steering member long in the direction of the width of a vehicle and is supported by the steering member.
A second aspect of the invention is characterized in that the body of the air conditioning unit according to the first aspect of the invention is divided into plural parts and a through hole of the body of the air conditioning unit penetrated by the steering member is provided on a partition line on which the body of the air conditioning unit is divided into the plural parts.
A third aspect of the invention is characterized in that the body of the air conditioning unit according to the first aspect of the invention is divided into plural parts, and a part and the steering member are integrated.
A fourth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the heat exchangers according to the first to third aspects of the invention are arranged below the steering member.
A fifth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the steering member according to the first to fourth aspects of the invention is straight in the direction of the width of the vehicle.
A sixth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the steering member according to the first to fifth aspects of the invention penetrates the vicinity of the center of gravity of the body of the air conditioning unit.
A seventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that the steering member according to the first to sixth aspects of the invention is supported by a stay supporting a part of the body of the air conditioning unit.
An eighth aspect of the invention is characterized in that a bracket for mounting each functional part arranged in the periphery of the air conditioning unit is integrated with the body of the air conditioning unit according to the first to seventh aspects of the invention.
A ninth aspect of the invention is characterized in that a harness connected to each functional part arranged in the periphery of the body of the air conditioning unit according to the first to eighth aspects of the invention is arranged along the steering member.
A tenth aspect of the invention is characterized in that a connection of the harness according to the ninth aspect of the invention and a harness extended from the side of the vehicle is provided in an intermediate part in the direction of the width of the vehicle of the steering member.
An eleventh aspect of the invention is characterized in that a leg extended from the steering member to the rear of the vehicle is provided to the steering member according to the first to tenth aspects of the invention and a fitting part into which operation assistance equipment (subsidiary device) is fitted from the side of the end in the direction of the width of the vehicle in attachment to the vehicle is provided to the leg.
A twelfth aspect of the invention is characterized in that the leg according to the eleventh aspect of the invention is a supporting member provided to the steering member for mounting an instrument panel.
According to the first aspect of the invention, as the body of the air conditioning unit inside which the heat exchanger and the opening and closing door are installed is penetrated by the steering member long in the direction of the width of the vehicle and is supported by the steering member, a position in which the body of the air conditioning unit is arranged is lifted, and hereby, as a position in which a blower provided to the side of the body of the air conditioning unit is arranged is also lifted, foot space can be enlarged by the quantity.
According to the second aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first aspect of the invention, as the body of the air conditioning unit is divided into plural parts and a through hole of the body of the air conditioning unit which the steering member penetrates is provided on a partition line on which the body of the air conditioning unit is divided into the plural parts, an upper case and a lower case can be easily bound and supported to/by the steering member by overlapping and binding the upper case and the lower case in case the body of the air conditioning unit is divided to two parts of the upper case and the lower case for example.
In addition, as the through hole is provided on the partition line on which the body of the air conditioning unit is divided, the working of the body of the air conditioning unit is facilitated.
According to the third aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first aspect of the invention, as the body of the air conditioning unit is divided into plural parts and a part and the steering member are integrated, a bracket binding the steering member and the body of the air conditioning unit can be omitted, the number of parts can be reduced, the cost can be reduced and the assembling workability can be enhanced.
According to the fourth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to third aspects of the invention, as the heat exchangers are arranged below the steering member, the body of the air conditioning unit has a layout structure that the heavy heat exchangers are arranged in the lower part of the body of the air conditioning unit, the center of gravity of the air conditioning unit becomes lower and a stable supported state can be acquired.
According to the fifth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to fourth aspects of the invention, as the steering member is straight in the direction of the width of the vehicle, the working of the steering member is facilitated, and the strength and the rigidity can be enhanced.
According to the sixth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to fifth aspects of the invention, as the steering member penetrates the vicinity of the center of gravity of the body of the air conditioning unit, the steering member can support the body of the air conditioning unit more stably.
According to the seventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to sixth aspects of the invention, as the steering member is supported by a stay that supports a part of the body of the air conditioning unit on a car body member, the steering member can be supported on the car body in an intermediate position of the vehicle in the vicinity of the body of the air conditioning unit, the strength and the rigidity of the steering member are enhanced, the steering member can be thinned, and the lightening and the degree of the freedom of the design can be enhanced.
As the stay also functions as the reinforcing member of the body of the air conditioning unit, the strength and the rigidity of the body of the air conditioning unit can be enhanced.
According to the eighth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to seventh aspects of the invention, as a bracket for mounting each functional part arranged in the periphery of the air conditioning unit is integrated with the body of the air conditioning unit, the manhour and the machining cost can be reduced, compared with those in case the mounting bracket is provided on the body of the air conditioning unit by welding so far and the cost can be reduced.
According to the ninth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to eighth aspects of the invention, as the harness connected to each functional part arranged in the periphery of the air conditioning unit is arranged along the steering member, interference between peripheral parts and the harness when the peripheral parts are attached can be avoided, labor such as an operator is required to hold the harness by hand is not required and labor effectiveness can be enhanced.
According to the tenth aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the ninth aspect of the invention, as a connection of the harness and a harness extended from the side of the vehicle is provided in an intermediate part in the direction of the width of the vehicle of the steering member, the length of the harness set every type heretofore can be made common, the flexibility is enhanced and the cost can be reduced.
According to the eleventh aspect of the invention, in addition to the effect by the first to tenth aspects of the invention, as the leg extended from the steering member to the rear of the vehicle is provided to the steering member and the fitting part into which the operation assistance equipment is fitted from the side of the end in the direction of the width of the vehicle in attachment to the vehicle is provided to the leg, interference between the harness connected to each functional part arranged in the periphery of the air conditioning unit and the operation assistance equipment can be avoided when the air conditioning unit is attached to the vehicle, compared with a conventional type in which a steering member is supported from the lower side and an air conditioning unit is attached to a vehicle, labor such as an operator is required to hold the harness by hand is not required and labor effectiveness can be enhanced.
In a cockpit module structure that various peripheral parts in addition to the air conditioning unit are subassembled beforehand before attachment to the vehicle, which is recently performed, as the operation assistance equipment is fitted from the side of the end in the direction of the width of the vehicle as described above, components covering the lower side of the steering member in addition to an integrated instrument panel can be also subassembled, modularization is accelerated and labor effectiveness can be more enhanced.
According to the twelfth aspect of the invention, as the leg according to the eleventh aspect of the invention is a supporting member provided to the steering member for mounting the instrument panel, a dedicated leg for fitting the operation assistance equipment is not required to be provided utilizing the existing supporting member and the cost can be reduced.